SO, I just completed week one of my whole new training program. I have joined my gym's version of "Biggest Loser" for people looking to lose at least 20 lbs (yes, I fit into that category as I want to lose 25-30). I started with my main goals: lose weight, have a trainer 3 days a week for strength, and have another person to make me accountable. Then, as the week went on, the clouds lifted and the fog I have been in for a very, very long time has started to disappear. My goals are finally defining themselves.
1) Eat better. Look, I love wine as much as the next person. No, scratch that, I love wine more than the next person. I really, really do. I know, $10 is the right price for an everyday wine, but my favorite is a Zinfandel that is about $30 a bottle (and, NO PEOPLE, Zinfandel is not a pink wine. It's red, it's full bodied, and it was my friend). I knew something had to go, so I said so long for now to my friend Grgich Hills Zin......*tear* I'm limited to 1650 calories a day to consume, but that's more than plenty.
2) Strength. I have nooooooo upper body strength. The fact that I can pull myself up to 2000 meters in a pool with little training amazes me some days. With proper training that's not the case, but I've been sitting on my butt for so long, unfortunately, this is my reality.
3) Lose Weight. I look like I weigh less than I really do which is a good thing.....but, I still need to lose not just weight as much as size. Wait, no, I need to lose the weight as well. See, somehow I have managed to do all of this racing on two rather arthritic ankles and have Vascular Thoracic Outlet Syndrome and it turns out that doing nothing is what causes the most pain. The best pain management, for me, are the workouts. Now, I have days when pain is pain and it will not subside. Then that day becomes my day off. Too often had it been a race day, and it makes me sad to not go, but I rather like not breaking a stiff ankle and being out for a whole season.
4) Run faster. Look folks, I know it sounds like I'm this crazy runner, but I'm not.....yet. I walk, A LOT, I'm so slow (averaging a 10 minute mile pace makes me giddy) and I'm the laziest endurance athlete known to mankind. Just ask anyone that knows me or has trained with me. I used to be a good athlete. Trained, disciplined, would get antsy if I didn't do something, anything. Well, I still get stir crazy, but it's not like I'm running everyday....that's about to change ;)
5) Be accountable. I needed something, someone that I had to show up for. I wasn't showing up for me, so it needed to be another person. Now I have a training partner AND a personal trainer. I show up for two people. I can make up a missed Saturday run with my group on a Sunday with Happy Jason, but I HAVE to show up for my training session with my workout buddy Annette and trainer Jim. Oh, and I HAVE to show up for Wednesday night yoga or I'm going to be in so much pain.
So, I'm going into week two now. I have my first weigh in and for some reason I think I haven't lost anything. Do you have any idea how hard it is to burn 2650 calories a day? Hell, I went for a long run yesterday in the 90 degree heat and still fell short by 200 calories burned for the day. I'll get there, and I'll learn to walk 10,000 steps a day, and I'll get to the physical level in which I have no doubt that I could finish the California 70.3 Ironman in my sleep, but it's going to take time, patience and dedication.
Week 2, HERE I COME!
Monday, September 28, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
And so it begins....Part 2
So, let me just say that Sunday I was happy about two things:
1) That I didn't sign up for the Long Beach Triathlon (which is one of my favorite races) because that was the worst Red Tide I have ever seen or smelled in my life. The Red Tide bloom was even worse than the one I did swim in for the Olympic Distance LA Triathlon in 2003
2) That I ran with "Always Happy" Jason who looks like he's going to kill the Long Beach Triathlon and easily take off 30+ minutes and run a PR. Thanks Jason!
The run was a lot of walk that started quite early. I wound up running for a total of 2 1/2 hours. I was supposed to go meet and run with the large group of Sole Runners, but I believe you "leave no man behind" and Jason was running alone. I think in the end, it did me more good to have a reason to show up. Even after 9 weeks off from running I went out for about 13 miles in total, and today, Monday, while I'm a little sore I feel great.
I do begin my gym's version of "The Biggest Loser" tonight. I am constantly asked why I'm even doing it since I'm only trying to lose 20-30 lbs. Well, the fact is despite all of my training, all of my knowledge, any certification I've ever had, all the people I have taught to swim and introduced to the wonderful world of triathlon (and there are A LOT) that I cannot do it myself. Heck, my coach has a coach. I need a mind reset and to get back into training and racing mentally, not just physically.
In 2003 I completed my first triathlon. It was my very first season as a triathlete. I completed that race at Bonelli Park in San Dimas and went on to race in 8 more tris, one of which was with Team In Training to benefit the Luekemia and Lymphoma Society. I put so much of myself out there, and should have left it all on the course, but so much was going on personally and it was wearing on me even while I raced. I stripped back down to basics. I removed my aerobars, I tried to go so far back to basics even that was too much and I found myself just swimming. I hated running by that point, and who wouldn't when you are out there running 5 days a week hoping to make life quiet and calm. Swimming made life quiet and calm, not running, and not cycling. So, well, running and I had a falling out and we broke up. At the same time I stopped and looked around and those friends I created and cherished in a sport I grew so quickly dependent on were just gone. I know I didn't wake up and it magically happened overnight, but it felt that way.
Well, flash forward to 2008 and I received this email about training for the Long Beach Marathon and thought at the very leas tI could learn to love to run again and within weeks running and I had made up and got back together, so to speak. Now, I am the world's laziest endurance athlete. I don't live off of brown rice, grilled chicken and broccoli, and I certainly like to drink wine. However, this is not going to get me to the finish line of the 2009 California 70.9 half ironman or an closer to my dream of running an ultra marathon in 2010 (hey, we all have dreams and this one is mine....so stop laughing). So, if being able to do these things means countless hours of training and sacrifice then so be it, I'm in and where do I sign up?
So begins my journey. While many think I have lost it, I now firmly believe that signing up to run at 12:01 am on Oct. 24th for Nike surely proves that.....but Zach, I won't let you down.
1) That I didn't sign up for the Long Beach Triathlon (which is one of my favorite races) because that was the worst Red Tide I have ever seen or smelled in my life. The Red Tide bloom was even worse than the one I did swim in for the Olympic Distance LA Triathlon in 2003
2) That I ran with "Always Happy" Jason who looks like he's going to kill the Long Beach Triathlon and easily take off 30+ minutes and run a PR. Thanks Jason!
The run was a lot of walk that started quite early. I wound up running for a total of 2 1/2 hours. I was supposed to go meet and run with the large group of Sole Runners, but I believe you "leave no man behind" and Jason was running alone. I think in the end, it did me more good to have a reason to show up. Even after 9 weeks off from running I went out for about 13 miles in total, and today, Monday, while I'm a little sore I feel great.
I do begin my gym's version of "The Biggest Loser" tonight. I am constantly asked why I'm even doing it since I'm only trying to lose 20-30 lbs. Well, the fact is despite all of my training, all of my knowledge, any certification I've ever had, all the people I have taught to swim and introduced to the wonderful world of triathlon (and there are A LOT) that I cannot do it myself. Heck, my coach has a coach. I need a mind reset and to get back into training and racing mentally, not just physically.
In 2003 I completed my first triathlon. It was my very first season as a triathlete. I completed that race at Bonelli Park in San Dimas and went on to race in 8 more tris, one of which was with Team In Training to benefit the Luekemia and Lymphoma Society. I put so much of myself out there, and should have left it all on the course, but so much was going on personally and it was wearing on me even while I raced. I stripped back down to basics. I removed my aerobars, I tried to go so far back to basics even that was too much and I found myself just swimming. I hated running by that point, and who wouldn't when you are out there running 5 days a week hoping to make life quiet and calm. Swimming made life quiet and calm, not running, and not cycling. So, well, running and I had a falling out and we broke up. At the same time I stopped and looked around and those friends I created and cherished in a sport I grew so quickly dependent on were just gone. I know I didn't wake up and it magically happened overnight, but it felt that way.
Well, flash forward to 2008 and I received this email about training for the Long Beach Marathon and thought at the very leas tI could learn to love to run again and within weeks running and I had made up and got back together, so to speak. Now, I am the world's laziest endurance athlete. I don't live off of brown rice, grilled chicken and broccoli, and I certainly like to drink wine. However, this is not going to get me to the finish line of the 2009 California 70.9 half ironman or an closer to my dream of running an ultra marathon in 2010 (hey, we all have dreams and this one is mine....so stop laughing). So, if being able to do these things means countless hours of training and sacrifice then so be it, I'm in and where do I sign up?
So begins my journey. While many think I have lost it, I now firmly believe that signing up to run at 12:01 am on Oct. 24th for Nike surely proves that.....but Zach, I won't let you down.
Monday, September 14, 2009
And so it begins...again
After 9 weeks of absolutely no working out and all pure recovery I'm ready to get started. What did I do in those 9 weeks? Well, I managed to plan my 2009-2010 season which so happens includes my very first ever Half Ironman ( thanks Mark!) Who in their right mind is in the middle of recovering form surgery and thinks "sure, a half sounds great"? I'll tell you who...ME! I am so stoked it's not even funny. During the recovery time I went out and purchased new cycling shoes that I will be breaking in on Wednesday in my spin class with coach Steve at Breakthru Fitness in Pasadena, and a brand new fancy Zoot wetsuit that is officially the nicest wetsuit I have ever had (it's my 4th). I have the gear, now I need the nutrition and training (both mentally and physically).
Yesterday I put the nutrition aspect back on track. If there is absolutely anyway I'm going to get this done, and with a goal time, then I need to get my ass in gear. So, I said goodbye to the diet coke and iced lattes that fueled me for the past 2+ months and hello again to my Superfoods and a very well thought out meal plan. I literally spent all weekend planning menus, calculating caloric needs, formulating what food will need to go in what meal. I was surrounded by books and paper. I think I finally got it down. Next up, planning the workouts.
Today I'm going to try to get in a 2000 meter swim, at the very least 1600 meters. It's my prep time for the next 4-6 weeks, during which will include the Long Beach Half Marathon, so taking it down a level or tow is key, especially when you consider that I have absolutely no muscle tone and will be starting from the ground level.....or so it feels that way. There is a lot more to training than just the physical. There is the mental and I have been missing that for years. This year that ends and I get my head back into the game. At the end I want to look back and see how far I have come more mentally than physically. I want to get to the next level and add that 50-mile ultra in Nov. 2010, but unless something changes that will not happen.
Here is my racing schedule thus far:
Oct 11 - Long Beach Half Marathon
Nov 7 - Solvang Prelude
Nov 14 - San Gabriel 10k Turkey Trot
Feb 7 - Surf City Half Marathon
Feb 21 - 2nd Annual Pasadena Marathon
March 13 - Catalina Island Marathon
March 27 - California 70.3 (Half Ironman)
May 2010 - Trek Women's Endurance Series, Disneyland
I'm still looking for a race in December and January.....let me know if you find one!
Yesterday I put the nutrition aspect back on track. If there is absolutely anyway I'm going to get this done, and with a goal time, then I need to get my ass in gear. So, I said goodbye to the diet coke and iced lattes that fueled me for the past 2+ months and hello again to my Superfoods and a very well thought out meal plan. I literally spent all weekend planning menus, calculating caloric needs, formulating what food will need to go in what meal. I was surrounded by books and paper. I think I finally got it down. Next up, planning the workouts.
Today I'm going to try to get in a 2000 meter swim, at the very least 1600 meters. It's my prep time for the next 4-6 weeks, during which will include the Long Beach Half Marathon, so taking it down a level or tow is key, especially when you consider that I have absolutely no muscle tone and will be starting from the ground level.....or so it feels that way. There is a lot more to training than just the physical. There is the mental and I have been missing that for years. This year that ends and I get my head back into the game. At the end I want to look back and see how far I have come more mentally than physically. I want to get to the next level and add that 50-mile ultra in Nov. 2010, but unless something changes that will not happen.
Here is my racing schedule thus far:
Oct 11 - Long Beach Half Marathon
Nov 7 - Solvang Prelude
Nov 14 - San Gabriel 10k Turkey Trot
Feb 7 - Surf City Half Marathon
Feb 21 - 2nd Annual Pasadena Marathon
March 13 - Catalina Island Marathon
March 27 - California 70.3 (Half Ironman)
May 2010 - Trek Women's Endurance Series, Disneyland
I'm still looking for a race in December and January.....let me know if you find one!
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